There are multiple conflicts and dangers ongoing in Cameroon including an ongoing violent conflict between different regions, dangerous political conditions, and multiple humanitarian emergencies. Last October, U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Hank Johnson introduced the Cameroon TPS Act of 2021, which asked for Cameroon to be included in the protected countries under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Two months later, The Cameroon Advocacy Network also made other efforts to highlight the dangerous conditions in Cameroon and ask that Cameroonians be protected, including:
- Holding a Congressional briefing
- Drafting a bicameral letter to the current administration
Many organizations and individuals are demanding action be taken by their state representatives and have taken to calling and writing letters themselves. However, TPS for Cameroon has still not been granted, and thousands of Cameroonians are at risk of deportation to these dangerous conditions.
What IS TPS?
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows recipients to live and work in the United States without fear of deportation or job insecurity temporarily; this status is given to eligible nationals of designated countries. Such designations are made by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and a country can be designated if the following circumstances make it unsafe for nationals to return to the country:
- Ongoing armed conflicts
- An environmental disaster or epidemic
- Other extraordinary and temporary conditions
Once protected by TPS, recipients:
- Are protected from detention based on their immigration status
- Are protected from deportation from the United States
- Can receive an employment authorization document
- Can be allowed travel authorization
It is important to note that TPS is a temporary benefit and does not automatically lead to lawful permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship.
However, TPS recipients can still apply for:
- Nonimmigrant status and
- Other immigration protections or benefits that they are eligible for, including permanent resident (green card) status
File for TPS
The following countries are currently protected under TPS:
- Burma (Myanmar)
- El Salvador
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Somalia
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
- Yemen
To be eligible for TPS, all of the following criteria must be met:
- Applicants must be a national of a designated country or someone without nationality who last lived in a designated country
- Applicants must file during an open initial or re-registration period (unless they meet the late filing requirements)
- Applicants must have been continuously physically present in the U.S. since their country’s most recent designation was instated
- Applicants must have been continuously residing in the U.S. since the date specified for your country
Applicants risk having their application denied if they:
- Have been convicted of a felony or two or more misdemeanors in the United States
- Can be barred from asylum because of their participation in terrorist activity or persecution of another person
- Do not meet the continuous physical presence or continuous residence requirements
- Do not meet the registration requirements
- Are ineligible because of non-waivable criminal and security reasons (see INA § 212(a))
- Fail to re-apply for TPS without good cause (after it is granted)
For information on designation dates and the filing process, visit the USCIS website or speak with our experienced attorneys at Milla & Associates. We can help you:
- Understand and prepare on your behalf the necessary forms
- Gather and collect needed evidence
- Prepare for your subsequent USCIS and ASC appointments
- Provide the support you will need to navigate this complex process
For more information on how we can help you with humanitarian relief (as it relates to immigration law) or help filing for TPS, schedule a consultation with our legal team today by reaching out online or at (312) 702-1782.